Two Dutch radio stations is making a documentary about Chinese in globalization era. As a race with biggest number in the world, Chinese are everywhere. There are more than one billion Chinese in China only. Since I can meet a Chinese everywhere I go, any city I've been and any market I was; I can assume that almost a billion Chinese and Chinese descents out there outside of China. Two billions people, wow, that's one-third world population.
China has long history. When European thought that Earth was flat; Chinese had been sailing oceans. When Columbus arrived in America; Chinese had been digging gold there. They are now spreading from Siberia to Cape of Hope, South Africa.
'Looking for Mr. Li' is a documentary series co-made by VPRO and RNW. The name Li/Lee is associated to a Chinese just like Jose to a Spanish or Ahmed to an Arab. Mr. Li is the face of the fastest growing power in the world: China. He closes oil deals, build hospitals and highways, sells merchandise, or businesses on oil pipelines explains.
In the series Looking for Mr. Li, four reporters cover about the sun and shadow of globalization. With the Chinese expansion as red thread. In Zambia, Venezuela, the United States and India, those reporters looking for Mr. Li. They follow key persons on the spot and tell their stories. Reporters are establishing long time - five to six weeks - in a country and do deep digging report of the daily lives of the people they take in their path.
The key question is whether globalization a curse or a blessing. And with the Chinese as an example: what does the rise of China stormy for countries where Mr. Li active? Provides a higher prosperity? More hospitals and schools? And what does the advent of Chinese know-how and expertise for local traditions?
The Looking for Mr. Li documentary consists of weekly radio broadcasts, a website with blogs, photos, movies, articles and expert comments. You can find full report and coverage at its official site weblogs.vpro.nl/lookingformisterli/ but unfortunately no English option.
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Rob Bredl aka The Barefoot Bushman has been playing with animals for more than 34 years. He grew up in Renmark in South Australia, the second youngest of four brothers. With his father, he started Australia's first successful crocodile farm in Cape York Peninsula for the aboriginal community at Pormpuraaw. He spent 10 years here with the Aborigines chasing crocodiles and pigs.
He wants people to share his love for animals and the jungle. Their philosophy seems to work and was highlighted by an uncanny ability to handle the most dangerous animals. He has been bitten twice by taipans. Miraculously both times snakes did not inject venom.
Despite handling crocodiles almost every day of his life, has only been biten twenty six times so far. He calls them love bites. Rob Bredl has learned more about crocodiles than most people. He even swim with that fourteen foot giant.
Can be said that Rob Bredl is a character would be the understatement of the decade. Regardless who is a recognized expert in his field and, despite their fear, zany escapades with dangerous animals is a real pleasure to be with.
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Earth Day is a name refers to 2 events. First is UN Earth Day which is celebrated each year on March 20 according to March equinox day. An equinox in astronomy is that moment in time (not a whole day) when the center of the Sun can be observed to be directly above the Earth's equator, occurring around March 20 and September 23 each year. It was founded by peace activist John McConnell in 1969. And the second Earth Day, can be said Global Earth Day, is celebrated each year on April 22. It was founded by US politician Gaylord Nelson in late 1960s.
Whatever terms of Earth Day used and whenever it is held, the goal is same; preventing earth from destruction. In common words nowadays, we have to prevent Earth from global warming.
I just can't believe that so many people out there think that global warming is a hoax. I guest most of them are rich people in Europe or US who live in nice apartment with air conditioned. They are like frog under coconut shell. May be they never experienced flood. They never worked at open field with sunlight getting hotter each year. They don't have sympathy for storm in China, flood in Indonesia and may be, even, Katrina hurricane. They don't know anything about environmental science.
Stand in front line against global warming campaign is Czech President Vaclav Klaus. He publicly expresses doubt on what scientists, including those participating in the UN Conference on Climate Change, deem very likely, that global warming is caused by humans. He also said that rising temperatures may not matter enough for governments to throw funds at halting the process. In a newspaper interview Klaus said that only Al Gore, and not a sane person, would say that mankind is ruining the planet. Well, this honorable Klaus needs to lift up his coconut shell.
UN Climate Change Conference in Bali last December didn't give much hope as some developed countries, in front line is US, declined to reduce their CO emission. It's an irony. They are forcing developing countries to conserve its jungle. They are forcing developing countries to recycling their disposals. They want others do something to save the earth but they don't want to do anything about it.
I'm just hoping that things will change, that more people have consciousness on this matter. And most important, more people take action. Stop being ignorance. We just have one earth. We can't live in Mars yet. We don't want our grand grand children become victims of what we did and what we didn't. Remember, even the mighty dinosaur could be vanished even less human being.
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